


Lightsoul Tower

by Stowaway_Macaw



Series: The Rising of the Residents of Lightsoul [1]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, But there's a reason for it, Gen, there's some inaccuracies with their personalities, they're having a hard time, you can cheer for these characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:14:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26724238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stowaway_Macaw/pseuds/Stowaway_Macaw
Summary: "Welcome to the most accepting place in existence: Lightsoul.See our sights and our happy residents of every species. We don't permit violence and uphold Lightsoul as the most peaceful place to live."That's what they tell you, but I've lived here for years, trapped in this tower and rotting away. This is a place of injustice and fear, but now is the time I leave. It has to be. I'm running out of time.
Series: The Rising of the Residents of Lightsoul [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946275
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	1. Descent

The sky was bright, which was fortunate. The daytime was, after all, objectively the best time. Why wouldn’t it be? At night, things would fly at you, claw at you until you finally surrendered your life, only for you to reappear in the same tower and stay where you were safe or relive the horror again.

I’ve taken the care to be cautious. There’s no way I’d survive out there. Lightsoul is a living nightmare. But, maybe now that I’ve been holed up in this tower for weeks upon weeks with nothing to do but read that guidebook, I should try to venture out. I’ve gotten weak though. Too weak to make it up those stairs more than one time every day. I guess if it’s gotten that bad, then I’ve been in this tower for years. 

_ Wasted years. _

There it is again, that darn voice. It started talking to me forever ago and only quiets when I read or write. I sighed.

_ What? You still don’t like me? You know it’s true though. _

“How can I waste years? I don’t even age.”

_ Maybe not your body, but your mind does. I’m proof of that. The day will come when you’re too weak to feel and your thoughts are too loud to hear. Your eyes will be so used to darkness that they’ll only see purple and the smell of this putrid air will clog your lungs. Even with that stupid mask. _

I didn’t bother responding. I knew it would just keep talking.

_ You’re losing your will. Soon I’ll be all that’s left of you. Not even your little journal will keep me quiet. You’ve noticed, right? I’ve started giving you some very nice writing ideas. What do you think of that, Xisuma? Me writing stories for you? _

I took out my journal and flipped to the next empty page. It looks like I’ve gone through another one; there’s only two blank pages left.

_ Oh dear, you’ve gone through another journal. That’s number, oh what was it? Thirty-six? I guess it’s about time to move to thirty-seven. _

I gripped the quill harder as I stared at the blank page.

_ What? You got writer’s block? I can tell you what to write if you want. _

Quiet.

_ I’ve got plenty of ideas you know. What about zombies? Skeletons? Their arrows flying at you so that they can shoot you right off of the tower.  _

I can’t think.

_ Ooh, I know! Phantoms rushing at you from all directions, snapping and clawing at you until you finally let go and let them maul you to an unrecognizable pulp. _

I forced my hand to move, scribbling down anything except what that voice was telling me. Things about the sun, the grass, the tower, the ground, the clouds, the wind, silence, noise, talking words safety, strength hope wishes wants dreams help making seeing more people others voices contact touch voices people talking together supportpeoplemorelifenopainnopainnopainnopainnopainnopainnononononononoNONONO

By the time the voice stopped, I’d scribbled illegible “thoughts” all over the last two pages and even the back cover. Almost all of the last three or five or seven journals looked exactly like that. Illegible and insane. I felt so horrible. I didn’t want to be like every other creature in this sorry excuse for a civilization, but having conscious thought only leads to repercussions.

I took in a shaky breath. My lungs burned more every day, even with my mask. I felt so tired, but I was too afraid to fall asleep. I knew if I fell asleep then, it would be night when I woke up. It was best to sleep the night away, monsters would ignore you then.

With a quivering hand, I reached into the ender chest that was next to the lectern housing the guidebook. I let the journal fall from my hand and onto the other thirty-five journals before pulling out my latest one.

Thirty-seven. I’m at journal number thirty-seven and I can barely even get up from the floor. That voice pesters me every moment I’m not writing and I’m starting to burn through journals like a skeleton does arrows.

_ Especially when they aim at you. _

This couldn’t stay like it was. Lightsoul is possibly the worst place to be, but this tower has been my prison for far too long.

I had to get out.

I hauled myself up to a shaky stance and leaned heavily on the pillar that held the top of the tower in place. You could see for miles, into the desert and across fields I had previously sworn to never visit again. On the unfortunate days I woke up at night, I would see the blaze of a light in the distance. I could guess what it was, but I’d never made it far enough to know for sure.

The tower was strange, but I knew some things about it. For example, the guidebook told me that the tower was built as the epicenter of Lightsoul. It was made from blackstone and gold could be seen embedded in some parts of its walls. Floating crystals surrounded the tower, each one supporting a lantern that seemed to be forever illuminated by a small but bright blue flame. I knew the top of the tower burned azure as well, but I’d only seen it once. The night of my demise, I could see it in the distance as my vision was obscured by arrows whizzing past my face.

The scar that ran across the entirety of my face itched a bit and I had to fight to keep my mind in the present. My eyes drifted to the winding staircase leading to the tower floor.

_ You seriously think you’re gonna make it? _

I took another breath and clutched my journal to my chest. I had to do this now before I buckled under the pressure again. Before attempting the stairs, I opened my journal and wrote a shaky title page:

Xisumavoid

Lightsoul resident

Journal #37

The beginning of the rest of my life

_ How cheesy. _

I carefully placed the journal on top of the others inside the ender chest and took my very slow and unstable steps down the staircase. I knew it would take a while, though I didn’t think it would take as long as it did. I could’ve sworn the stairs had grown in number, but I knew better from the times I’ve done this before and, admittedly, failed. 

_ What even makes this time different? You have a new journal? Yeah like you haven’t done that before. You’ll just be disappointed. Just rot in your tower, that’s what your first plan was, wasn’t it? Why can’t you go through with anything? You’re just stuck in this limbo of not being able to decide where you want to go. Make your decision already and stick with it. _

I wanted to yell back that I was doing just that, that I’d finally made up my mind this time. But I had to save my breath. These stairs were brutal. When I reached the bottom, I was out of breath and could feel my muscles quiver. 

I looked up from my unsteady position at the very bottom of the stairs. The only thing that separated me from my freedom was that solid, cyan door.

Eager, I took a step forward, only to suddenly get a rush of dizziness, and the next thing I knew I was staring up the winding stairwell as I lay on the cold ground.

No. I had to get outside before the sun set…

But my eyes were so heavy… 

I heard a sigh as my consciousness faded.

_ Sorry, but I guess today isn’t the day. Tomorrow though. I’ll keep yelling at you until you open that door for the first time in five years. You better. I’m getting sick of looking at blackstone and ink scribbles. _


	2. New Horizons

I woke up in a cold sweat. Not unusual, but still uncomfortable. My muscles ached. I was on the ground floor of the tower. Why was I here again?

_I believe you were going outside. Or have you given up again?_

“No,” I whispered to the voice I began to question if I really was the only one to hear.

“I’m going.” I hoisted myself up, ignoring the soreness in my neck and made it to the door. As for how long I stood there with that voice egging me on, I have no clue. If things went to plan, then I wouldn’t be seeing this door for a long time.

_Yo._

“What.”

_No need to be rude. I just thought I’d tell you something._

I waited for the voice’s next words.

_I went ahead and dragged your sorry self back up those stairs while you were asleep. I had to make sure you actually slept through the night after all, but I also got something else for you. Write in your journal. About the tower. You need to write notes in the guidebook too. I think a good long-term goal would be to see every destination in Lightsoul._

That… actually wasn’t a bad idea. I opened up my inventory and lo and behold, two books were there. One bore the familiar cover of journal thirty-seven while the other was a printed copy of Lightsoul’s guidebook. I took out the guidebook and read the first entry about the tower.


	3. First Entry

**1\. Lightsoul Tower +**

**Lightsoul tower is the epicenter of Lightsoul. Inside this tower is the only truly safe place in Lightsoul. This guide is found at the top of Lightsoul tower to greet newcomers. Newcomers will spawn here and masks will be provided at the tower. The tower is lined with obsidian and is the only well lighted area in Lightsoul, aside from the Nether civilizations such as Phoenix and Thunderbird.**

After looking at it for a moment, I leaned heavily against the door to write the notes.

**(My home! You can see everything from the top, but you can still get hurt, even if the book says you can’t. It’s really dark too and it’s not comfortable to sleep in. Hopefully I won’t have to see it for a while.)**

Pleased with my note, I put the book away and took out number thirty-seven. When I opened the journal, I expected the voice to suddenly start rambling in my ear, but it stayed quiet. Since it was so quiet, writing felt strange, but I had a goal to complete. I began writing.

**Day 1**

**I’m not even outside the tower yet, but I feel like my journey has already begun. This is honestly really daunting, but I hope I’ll be able to complete my goal. Oh, right, my goal. I guess the goal was given to me, but I could’ve declined if I wanted to. I want to see every place in Lightsoul. Also, I hope to see other people. I can’t even remember who the last person I saw was. If I can meet someone and talk to them, I’d feel like this was all worth it. Lightsoul is terrifying. I can’t defend myself or I’ll get punished.... But I’ll at least do what I can. I want to get stronger too. My body has been wasting away all this time and it hurts constantly. This is also my first coherent entry in a long time. I hope they get better. I think I’ll write about the tower another time, I want to get going.**


	4. The Journey of a Thousand Miles...

_ Just open it already. You don’t need to hype yourself up, you’ve been doing that for five years. Open. Go. Commence. Start. Begin. What the heck are you waiting for, open the freaking door! _

“Just give me a couple minutes, geez.”

_ I already gave you those minutes. It’s time to go! _

I huffed a sigh and before I knew it, the door was open. The wind gave me a chill since it was still early morning, and my light clothes didn’t help the situation. All I wore was a white shirt with sleeves that hung loosely down to my elbows and some cotton pants that had gotten looser over the time I spent in that tower, hidden away. I had lost my shoes a while ago and could feel the grass on my feet, but it felt nice. Definitely better than the cold, hard blackstone of the tower. I don't know why, but in that first moment outside of the tower, my fatigue seemed to lessen.

_ Get moving. We don't have all the time in the world you know. The sun waits for no man. _

I knew it was right. I didn't have the ability to run fast enough to keep me safe. And so, taking the steadiest steps I could take, I ventured out to the field in the direction I often saw flickering fires illuminating the lush grass. It wasn't that far, but I knew my pace would be sluggish and my breaks would be frequent. On the other hand, though, the new scenery was enough to distract me from the growing soreness in my underused legs and the huff of my weak lungs.

The trees looked so much nicer up close. The bark was rough, but it had a nice look to it. The leaves gave shade to me when I felt I couldn't take another step. The sun was getting stronger by the moment and the hottest hours of the day approached much too fast. I had just gone over a couple of hills when I decided to take my first respite. I leaned up against one of the shorter trees and closed my eyes. I was sweating and my skin had grown much too pale. I could only imagine how sickly I looked to any bypassers.

_ This better be a short break. If you stay still for too long, you might run into some company. You know what happens then, right? _

_ Boom. _

I shuddered.

_ Aww, don't like that thought? You'd better get moving then. Don't risk it. _

I was still tired, but I hoisted myself upright to continue. The thoughts that voice gave me were too disturbing to stay in one place. Even as I stumbled at a crawling pace, I knew some movement was better than none. I needed protection. The night would've been cooler, but I was already feeling nauseous. What even was this voice driving me forward with the fear of a morbid death? I didn't know.

_ I'm you, idiot. _

"That's not possible."

_ Oh yeah, and what else would I be, huh? A ghost? Yeah right. That's totally more logical than you losing your mind.  _

I didn't respond that time. My mind was quiet and I heard a cow moo in the distance over the next hill.

_ I'm in your head and I can make you move however I want. Just admit it, X. You're losing yourself to me. _

_ I'll keep talking, you know. One day, if you keep letting this happen, drowning me out with writing won't work anymore. I'll just keep talking and talking and talking. That's what's going to happen to you. _

"No. It won't. I'll still be here."

_ Prove it. _

"...What?"

_ I said prove it, coward. Unless you want to just keel over and let me have full control over your body. I'll make sure there'll be no trace of your consciousness left. _

"I won't… let you do that…" I tried to sound strong, but I was wheezing harshly. I felt like my lungs just couldn’t get enough air.

"I still… have a life to live…"

_ Oh? That sounds like you're afraid to die. Aren't you ageless? Oh but you're not so confident now, are you? Now that there's finally someone who can kill you for good. _

"I… I've learned…"

_ From what? Sitting alone in that tower for five years, wasting away? Sure. _

I was too tired to be angry, but the twinge I felt now seemed like it was supposed to be a sort of rage. I didn't want to die. It felt like I was trapped though. Trapped in that tower. If I ever hurt a monster… then… 

_ Then you'd break Lightsoul's most important principle. _

Principle. Yeah. I would've sighed if I wasn't so out of breath. One of the biggest rules in Lightsoul only applied to a fraction of its residents. It was simple: No violence.

It was simple. Simple in concept at least. I knew there had to be others like me, with a mind and heart and the ability to control my actions. If so, then were they in a state like mine? Too weak to walk across a field and too afraid to do anything with their life? The thought of others like me made my heart ache and drove me forward for just a bit longer than I think I would've gone otherwise.

It was long enough though. I'd made it over a very daunting hill and there, in the distance, was the place I'd only seen as a speck from the tower and only read about in the guidebook. It seemed like a haven lit by the encroaching dusk, even with the disheveled look of the unlit fire pit surrounded by crumbling logs and sun-bleached tents. I'd finally made it to the Navigation Campsite. I didn't know much about the place, but I knew it had beds, something that Lightsoul Tower lacked in its bleak walls. As much as I wanted to sprint towards it, my knees buckled before I could take any real steps and I fell down the shallow slope of the hill, face-first onto the grass.

_ Clutz. _

Not now, voice. I need to get up. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. I was wheezing and my muscles were refusing to listen. My mask was barely doing its job and the air stung my throat. But over the sound of my heavy breaths, I heard footsteps. I immediately tried to scramble away to some cover, but my legs simply wouldn't listen to me. Was it a skeleton that had spawned in the dimming light? A creeper wandering the fields from the previous night? A zombie that had somehow obtained a helmet? Even with my panic, my body was betraying me. The footsteps grew closer.

Right as I was expecting something to tear into me and rip my life away for the second time since my arrival into Lightsoul, I was thrown off guard by a voice that sounded physical and not my own.

"Oh my. Another resident. Are you… okay?" I tried to lift my head from the grass to see who it was and maybe put some distance between us, but all I managed was a half-conscious flinch. I could hear the other person move towards me and for the first time in maybe my whole life, someone held me up with a gentle touch and kind eyes, and a voice that lulled me into a restful sleep.

"Alright, I'll get you to a tent. Just hang in there for a while and we'll deal with all of those stressful questions tomorrow."

And just like that, I finally nodded off as my body gave up its struggle for consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh, yeah this is basically self-indulgence: the fanfiction. It'll have a lot more parts to it so this is just the first one. I don't really care if nobody finds this interesting, I'm just gonna write it anyway so if you are actually interested, then thanks for showing up! I appreciate your attending!

**Author's Note:**

> I guess you could call this a procrastination project. I work on it when I procrastinate! Even so, this idea holds a little place in my heart, so we'll see where it goes. My murder mystery is still going on, but I update that weekly and I wanted to write something else.


End file.
